Ancient And Accepted Rite.

Samuel Simpson , occupied the throne , Sir Knts . John Greenwood , Prelate , 33 " ; . AVm . Pilling , 33 ° ; John Hodgson , 33 ° ; Joseph Greenwood , 33 ° ; Joseph Gudhill , 1 st Gen . ; AVilliam Shackleton , 2 nd Gen . ; Mitchell Helliwell , Raphael ; Thomas Scholfield , G . Marshal ; Joseph Hodgson , Tyler . Sir Knt . AVm . Farrar was installed a Knt . of the AV . C . O . C . A . G . He then retired , and sent in his petition for perfection . The ballot was takenandproving favourablehe was constituted a Knt .

, , , of the Eagle and Pelican , and perfected in the most sublime degree of a S . P . R . ( J . I-I . 1 .. D . M ., the ceremony being performed by the 111 . S . P . AVilliam Pilling , in a most solemn and impressive manner . Business being ended , tho chapter Avas closed , and the Princes adjourned to the banquet , Avhich consisted of all the delicacies of the season , and did great credit to the host and hostess .

Colonial.

COLONIAL .

CEYLON . FESTIVAL OP ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST . The Festival of St . John the Baptist is a day highly prized among Freemasons . On Saturday evening , June 24 th , the Masons of Colombo assembled at St . Peter ' s Church in goodly numbers and full Masonic costume . Almost eve .-y seat was

occupied , and very many at the hack of the church stood throughout . The service was intoned by the Rev . Brooke Bailey , assisted by the Revs . G . Bennett and Somerville . The sermon was preached by the Rev . G . Bennett , Chaplain of Sphinx Lodge , from the 2 nd verse of the Gth chapter of Galatians— " Bear ye one another's burdens , and so fulfil the law of Christ . "

The half-yearly meetings of the brethren of the Sphinx Lodge ( No . 107 I . C ) , and Serendib Lodge ( No . 112 I . C ) , for the purpose of installing the AV . M . and officers for the ensuing six months , were held at the Freemasons' Hall in the evening . The lodges Avere ' attended by sixty-two brethren , and the meetings distinguished by the presence of no fewer than ei ght Past Masters . The Lodge of Serendib met at half-past seven p . m .

, and the Sphinx Lodge opened an hour later . The following brethren were duly installed as officers of the two lodges : — The Serendib Lodge—Bros . Gorman , AA' . M . ; G . S . Williams , P . M . ; H . C . Buchanan , S . AA' . ; D . J . Scott , J . W . ; Evans , Treas . ; Biscboff , Sec . ; Rains , Dir . of Cers . ; Saunders , S . D . ; Bois , J . D . ; Gibbons , I . G . The Sphinx Lodge—Bros . Maitland , W . M . ; Lorenz , P . M . ; Biscboff , S . W . ; Ferdinands , J . AA ' . ; Evans , Treas . ;

Krickenbeck , Sec ; Bennett , Chap . ; Grindrod , Dir . of Cers . ; Larkum , S . D . ; W . D . AVilliams , J . D . ; Nicholls , I . G . ; Grenier , Org . ; Gratiaen , Steward ; O'Hallovan , Librarian ; Mitchell , Tyler . 'The lodges having been closed , the brethren adjourned to the banquet room of the Freemasons' Hall , where a sumptuous cold collation awaited them , the arrangements of the Club Stewards being most admirable . Bro . Maitland , AA ' . M . of the Sphinx Lodgepresidedand was supported bBros . Gorman .

, , y W . M . 112 ; Lorenz , I . P . M . 107 ; AVilliams , I . P . M . 112 ; Grindrod , Rains , Joseph , P . M . ' s ; & c . Justice having been done to the ample fare provided , Bro . Maitland , AV . M . 107 , rose and proposed the first toast as one requiring neither preface nor introduction in an assembly of British subjects—much less when those subjects are also Freemasons . He called upon the brethren to drink to the toast of "Our Most Gracious Queenand

, the Craft ever loyal and true . " The National Anthem , led by Bro . Nieliolis , followed the toast . Bro . MAITLAND , AV . M . 107 , said the next toast was one whicli would meet with an equally loyal and enthusiastic reception from the brethren . "The Healths of the Prince and Princess of AA'ales , our future King and Queen . " They had already endeared themselves to the British nation btheir noble virtuesand

y , have evinced to the whole world the possession- of the most eminent qualities that can adorn their exalted position . AA'ifch the toast of the Prince and Princess of Wales , he would unite the rest of the Royal Family . Bro . NICHOLLS led "God ' Bless the Prince of AVales" in an admirable manner .

Bro . MAITLAND , AA ' . M . 107 , then gave "The Army and Navy , " coupled with the name of a distinguished member of the former branch of the service present that evening—Bro . Tippetis . Bro . TIPPETTS said he was deeply sensible of the honour which they had done him in associating his name with this

toast , and on behalf of the British Army—an army to which lie was proud to belong—he thanked them very heartily for the way in which it had been received . He was very glad , indeed , that they had responded so enthusiastically to the toast , not only because he felt that the British Army and Navy were services in which British subjects mig ht have the fullest confidence , but at the present juncture it was peculiarly gratifying to a military officer in Ceylon to find the army so popular in such

an assembly as now surrounded him . Ho had , however , been quite unprepared for the toast , and he Avould only therefore thank them oneo more for the kind Avay in Avhich they had received the Army and NaA-y , and his own name in particular . ( Cheers . ) Bro . MAITLAND , AV . M . 107 , then called upon the brethren to do honour to the toast of "The Three Grand Masters , the Duke

of Leinster , Grand Master of Ireland ; the Earl of Zetland , Grand Master of England ; and AVliyte Melville , of Bennochy , Grand Master of Scotland . " Those heads of the Craft were distinguished for the zeal and attention they always paid to the duties of their high offices , and their own Grand Master , the Duke of Leinster , would ever be famous in the annals of Freemasonry , if only one of his many acts for the good of the Craft

be remembered ; for at the time that all secret societies were sought to be extinguished , their noble Grand Master , in his place in the House of Lords , succeeded in securing tho exemption of Freemasons , and in having their ancient and honourable fraternity recognised and tolerated by the law of the land . Bro . WILLIAMS , I . P . M . 112 , proposed the healths of the AA'orshiful Masters of the three lodges in the islandSt . John's

p , ( No . 45 < t E . G . ) , the Sphinx , and Serendib . He said that he had only just been asked to propose this toast , but , however much time for preparation he might have had , he could say nothing whicli would make it more acceptable to them than if allowed to rest on its own intrinsic merits . Most of those present were acquainted with the present Masters of the three Ceylou lodges . There was Bro . Hay , AV . M . of St . John ' s , in Kandy ,

who had been made a Mason in that lodge , and was deservedly respected for his zeal in the Craft . Bro . Maitland , AV . M . of Sphinx , they all knew ; most of them had worked with him in lodge . Bro . Gorman , AA ' . M . of Serendib , had also been made

in Sphinx , and he need not add a word respecting his good qualities . He would propose " The Health of all Three Masters , " fully assured that the brethren present would receive it with enthusiasm . ( Applause . ) Bro . MAITLAND , AV . M . 107 , first replied . He felt deeply sensible of the flattering manner in which the toast had been proposed and received , and begged to thank the brethren , on his own behalffor the hih compliment they had paid him in

, g placing him in tho highest position it was in their power to confer on any brother . It was exceedingly gratifying to him , and he might feel justly proud of having so gained their confidence and esteem . He had ever received the greatest loudness from all the brethren , and ho should strive to continue to merit their good opinion . The Sphinx Lodge had greatly flourished under the talented AA ' orshipful Masters who had

preceded him , and relying on the cordial support and assistance of the officers and brethren in the working of the lodge , he trusted the Sphinx would , during the next six months , continue its successful course . Bro . GOIVMAN , AA ' . M . 112 , also returned thanks ; hut as it was getting late , ho excused himself from making a speech on this score . He said , however , that he had a more pleasing duty

to perform in proposing " The Past Masters and Past Officers of the various Lodges . " They had all been most diligent and efficient in their attendance at and working of the lodges during the past half-year , and were fairly entitled to a very cordial reception at their hands . Bro . LOHENZ , I . P . M . 107 , said he had two duties to perform —firstto thank them ou his own behalf as Past Master of the

, Lodge ( the Past Master of the Serendib Lodge would reply for himself ) , and on behalf of the Past Officers of that lodge , who , lie hoped , would enjoy health long enough to be of use to Masonry ; secondly , lie had to propose the health of a gentleman who had endeared himself to everyone of them , and whose name he need only mention to secure for him the heartiest expressions of goodwill . He referred to their excellent Chaplain ,

Bro . Bennett —( hear , hear)—who had done them the honour to hold that office for nearly two years . And inasmuch as Masonry had to contend oftentimes with the cavils and sneers of outsiders , he thought the adhesion of Bro . Bennett had been of vital importance to the progress of the Craft in Ceylon . There